


October 28th, 2016

by IMAgentMI



Series: October Microfic-a-Day Project [28]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 15:58:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8407792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IMAgentMI/pseuds/IMAgentMI
Summary: South stays by North's bedside, waiting for him to awaken after his implant surgery.





	

“North?”    


South was out of her chair and next to the hospital bed before he had even begun to stir, before anyone else would have noticed the change in his breathing as he woke.  “Hey, can you hear me?  North?”  He had been required to wear his armour for the implantation surgery, but she ripped off his gloves, held his hands in hers while she waited.  

North made a small noise, deep in his throat and she felt his hands tighten around hers. He turned his head towards her and opened his eyes with a smile.  “Hey.”

“Hey.”  South’s throat tightened in relief. Tears pricked at her eyes, and for once she didn’t fucking care. “How do you feel?”

“Okay, I think.” North fidgeted for a moment, testing arms, legs, then relaxed again.  “A little shaky if I’m…”

“If you’re what?”  South leaned closer.  “North?”  

North’s eyes were open, but he didn’t respond.  South moved directly above him, but his eyes stared right through her.  “North!”  She leaned right down over him, her ear above his mouth, listening for breath, fumbling her hand to his neck to check for a pulse.  She found it, strong under her fingers.  She stood, ready to run out the door for a doctor --

“He’s in here.”  North blinked, and South’s legs nearly gave out underneath her.  “He’s in here with me.”

“Who is?  Where?”

“The AI.”  South inwardly swore at herself.  Of course the fucking AI.  That’s what this whole fucking surgery was  _ for. _  “His name is Theta.”

“He told you that?”

“No.  He hasn’t said anything yet.”  North tilted his head forward, his fingers gently coming up to inspect the surgery site at the base of his skull.  South caught a glimpse of angry red skin and metal before North settled back again.  “I think he’s scared.  I know he’s scared.  I can feel what he feels.”

“Wait -- they gave one of their top soldiers an AI that is  _ afraid? _ ”  South’s voice cracked in shock.  North didn’t answer, and South saw how his eyes had become unfocused again.  Light flickered next to her, and she barely caught sight of the tiny figure before it disappeared. 

“Easy, South.  You’re upsetting him.”  

South gave a start, opened her mouth, but North was already gone again.  She looked down at him in silence, then took his hands in hers, and continued her lonely vigil.

**Author's Note:**

> Stories like this are going to leave me with no friends.
> 
> I have no regrets.


End file.
